Chapter 46: The One Who Approaches the Truth part 2
The Snow Dragon, Rayssa, who resided in the snow-covered mountains near the Rozia border where Kassel had been stationed until a few months ago.
“Rayssa… attacking?”
Kassel murmured before quickly shaking his head.
Having served in the Rozia border region for four years, he had studied it extensively. As its name suggested, the Snow Dragon thrived in cold environments and had remained in the snowy mountains for centuries. There was almost no chance it would travel to the capital. Moreover, the prophesied attack was said to occur in late summer, not winter.
“That means the only unaccounted-for dragon is Lucius.”
Kassel rubbed his temples.
A legendary ancient dragon, believed ‘sealed away’, but with no evidence to support it. Even less probable than Rayssa.
“Another problem with no clear solution.”
He already had enough mysteries. Why the Orleans Duchy had pressured Lâtel to break off their engagement, why they were fighting the Marquisate of Hyante… Things were only getting more tangled.
Still, there was one thing he had gained from all this.
Dorothea. Dottricia.
Something was off.
It wasn’t just suspicious. It felt as though she was an ill omen looming over the family.
A dream? A divine prophecy foretelling a dragon’s attack?
‘No Saintess has ever made a prophecy like this before. If it’s not fraud, then how does she know? Did she foresee the future herself?’
Receiving the Crown Prince’s protection, as well as being the captain of the Blue Rose Knights, even he had been unable to uncover this.
There was something about the young lady of the Klein ducal house. That much was certain.
Before he realized it, he had begun to separate the existence of Tiana from that of Dotricia and Dorothea in his mind. Strangely, doing so brought him a small sense of relief.
“…Hm?”
Grip—
As Kassel attempted to rise, a sharp sensation jolted through his mind. In the vision before his eyes, he was reading a long letter sent by his father.
[ …It seems. We, too, were surprised, but how considerate of Tiana, is it not?
She requested a delay in the public announcement for Eina’s sake, given all the effort she had devoted to you. Whether that Eina remains in the Duchy or not is of no concern to us.
However, since Tiana dislikes the whispers of others, sending her back to the monastery was inevitable….]
“Urk…!”
A fierce heat surged through his head all at once.
What is this? What is this nonsense? Do… Dorothea, Dottricia – she played the role of her own Eina, and yet she was sent back to the convent? How could such an absurd thing be said…?
“Guh!”
His vision blurred, and his body burned with fever. Yet within his hallucination, the Kassel in his vision continued reading the Duke’s letter.
[I had Paul give the child a pouch of gold coins. The Mother Superior and her priest daughter both perished in an accident, and the monastery is in need of many repairs, so she was told to use it generously.
In any case, she has certainly endured much hardship these past two years. There is nothing to worry about here, and His Majesty has ordered you to return to the capital next year. Just wait a little longer, and we will be together for life.
When you return, Tiana, whom you have longed to see, will be there….]
“Ugh… uuaagh!”
Unable to withstand the pain of the fever, Kassel staggered and collapsed onto the desk.
Several hours later, he regained consciousness.
What exactly had he seen? What had he recalled?
It was something he did not know, so why had he been reading his father’s letter?
— — —
Determining the truth of what had happened at the Magic Tower was not something that could be done immediately.
After agonizing over it for days, Kassel decided to do as the young lady had. He called for the Duke and Duchess alone and broached the subject.
“Father, Mother. Dorothe… No, wouldn’t it be best to postpone Tiana’s debutante ball? There is something that must be carefully confirmed.”
“What?”
“…”
The Duke remained silent, simply listening, but the Duchess erupted in anger.
“How could you say such a thing?! Our Tiana has been waiting only for this day. This is too cruel.”
“I understand that.”
“Besides, His Grace has been tirelessly working to ensure that Tiana will be escorted by the Crown Prince she admires so much. Are you saying you want to ruin all of that? Postpone it until autumn? No. Absolutely not! Over my dead body!”
The duchess’s opposition was fiercer than he had expected.
“Mother.”
“Kassel, there is nothing in this world that I would trade you for. You are the one who will continue and protect our family. If my life were required for that, I would give it willingly. Who could deny that? But you must understand this one thing. The time I have spent waiting for Tiana’s return began the moment I gave birth to her and sent her far, far away!”
Had the Duchess tried to crush him outright, Kassel would have fought back.
Lady Klein.
If the one who had taken the place of their only daughter, the one who had become his sister, was truly a cunning demon who had stolen another’s soul, then it was imperative that she not be allowed to show her face in high society so carelessly.
This was Kassel’s reasonable suspicion.
“…”
As her son remained silent, the Duchess, overcome with emotion, finally began to weep.
“Kassel… The only reason my life has remained intact until now is Tiana. Wanting to restore her rightful status and marry her into a good family, ideally placing her by the Crown Prince’s side, is that such a terrible thing?”
“Mother.”
“Yes, perhaps it won’t work. I know that. That is the reality of the imperial family… But even so, for a girl, a debutante happens only once in a lifetime. Is it so wrong for her to dream of being escorted by the Crown Prince?”
“…”
“As a mother, I want to grant my daughter’s earnest wish. Is that truly such a great sin, one that she must inevitably give up? Tell me, Kassel. What do you think?”
……
T/N: I do understand Duchess Klein, but as readers who knew what was happening, it’s somewhat becoming difficult to sympathize with her at this point… 🤷
